Aerial tramway



Oct. 5 1926.

1,602,271 G. M. KILCARR AERIAL TRAMWAY Filed Jan. 18, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR G71 Z5671 Mlfilcarr ATTORNEYS Oct. 5 1926. 1,602,271

6. M. KILCARR AERIAL TRAMWAY,

' Fil'ed Jan. 18, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS WITNESSES I I v Gilfierl M Zl'iZc "r INVENTOR ATTORNEYS GzlZZerjZjijZZrn G. M. KILCARR AERIAL TRAMWAY Oct, 5,1926, 1,602,271

Filed Jan. 18, 1925 4 Sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS GiZberZ MKiZ/g i Patented Get. 5, 1926.

were stares return PATENT retest GILBERT M. KILCARR, -OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR'TO INTERSTATE EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AERIAL TRAMWAY.

Application filed January 18,1826. Serial No. 82,050.

My invention relates to tramways and more particularly to tramways in which the car returns to the loading terminal inverted. Such tramways include a haul rope for the car or carriage which haul rope is secured to the bottom of the car, the securing means being generally termed by engineers the haul link.

The present invention is embodied in what is usually termed the angle station, that is to say, where the track cables are turned through a horizontal angle between the loading terminal and the discharge terminal'.

The general object of the present inven: tion is to provide track means at the angle station referred to for the car on the return run and to provide an assemblage on said angle station whereby the haul rope is constrained to follow a path corresponding with the path of travel of the haullink se-' curing the haul rope to the car.

A further object of the invention is to provide an assemblage which will lnsure that the haul rope settles back on the end sheaves of the supporting structure at the angle station after the passing of a car through said angle station.

The, nature of the invention and its distinguishing features and advantages will more clearly appear as the description proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood that the drawof the invention. I,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an angle station equipped vwith means for controlling the haul rope at said station on the return run of a car, the view including also means for controlling the cable during the outward run of the car; 7 v

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2, Figure 1, showing in plan the tracks for the return run of the car, as wellas the track cables and haul rope;

Figure 3 is a detail invertical section at the lower return track showing theinverted car as it takes the track rails I Figured is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the inverted car in a different position as it moves through the station;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical section showingthe inverted car on the reings are merely illustrative 'of one example turn trip through the angle station and the. disposition of the haul rope on said return trip; Y

Figure 6 is a vertical section of the car in upright position, the view being particularly givento show the haul link or means for securing the cable to the car or carriage; Figure 7 is an end view of the car or carriage; i I

Figure 8 is a fragmentary end View of the angle station'at the return'traeks; 1 i 1.. Figure 9,is ajfragmentary view showing portions of the car and the angle station and showing the relation of the haul link on the .car' to guide sheaves above and slightly disr taut from the haul link. 3: v

in the illustrated example of my inven-; tion, a structure known as an anglestation, that is to say, one in which the cables'are turnedthrough a horizontal angle between the loading and discharge terminals, is illuse trated, and includes posts A and transverse bars Ill-variously disposed throughout the structure, i a

A tramway includes upper and lowercoutgoing tracks D and return track rails E,jas well as upper guard rails F above the trackrailsD and E, the'car Con theoutgoing run being in normal position right-Side up whereas on the returnrun of the loop-line tramway at the different stations, including the angle whichhas been referred to above,

the car 0 travels on the return run on the tracks E at the angle station up-ended or inverted after dumping at the discharge stationi At the entrance end of the angle station guide sheaves 1-0 are providedffor thehaul rope :11. The numeral 12 indicates sheaves at that end of the angle station from which the track cables at depart.

The return tracks E and certain sheaves hereinafter referred to, in addition to the sheaves 10 and 12, embody my present invention as willappear. c

Attempts heretofore to control the inverted car 0 on the return run have included means to guidethe cable from the under side of'the inverted Scar c. provides means whereby the haul rope is constrained to follow a path corresponding approximately with the path of travel of the haul link which secures thecable to the car and whereby a secondary efiect is pro-l duced that the arrangement insures that the haul rope settles ba k on the end shear es The present invention 7 (10 and 12) of the supporting structure at the angle station after the passing of a car through said angle station.

The assemblage illustrated for carrying out the purpose of the invention in insuring the desired improved relation between the haul rope 11 and the inverted car includes in addition to the end sheaves and 12 at the angle station, a series of intermediate sheaves 13 on the frame structure of the station. These sheaves 13 are shown as four in number and they angle slightly to a horizontal plane transecting the upper guard rail F of the return tracks through the angle station. I employ a sheave 14 adjacent the first sheave 13 and a final sheave 14 adjacent the last angular sheave 13 passed by the car 0. Thus, the arrangement is such that the haul rope 11 upon entering the angle station runs over the top of the first sheave 10 at the entrance of the station. Then from the sheave 10 the haul rope 11 passes beneath the under side 7 of the vertical or approximately vertical sheave 14 and then past the angularly disposed sheaves 13 and from the last sheave 13' said haul rope 11 passes beneath the second sheave 14 and from said second sheave 14 the haul rope passes directly over the top of the sheave 12 at that end of the angle station from which the haul rope 11 departs in its passage on its return run toward the loading station. It will be seen that the several sheaves 13 and the sheaves 14 at the approach of the haul rope to the sheaves 13 and the departure of said haul hope from said angular sheaves 13 are so disposed that the haul rope is constrained to move along a line corresponding approximately with the path traversed by the haul link which haul and similarly the settling back of the haul rope on the pulley 12 is assured after the car 0 leaves the angle station and passes be-' yond said pulley 12.

The arrangement of the pulleys and the relation of the several pulleys 10, 12, 13 and 14 to the haul link 15 are such that the haul rope has no tendency to turn over the inverted car 0. i l

The track cables 01 terminate at the station, the terminals being anchored as at 16 (see Figure 1) below the return track rails E. Similarly, the track cables d associated with the outgoing track rails D are anchored at the station as at 17. Thus, the track rails Dand E bridge gaps or interruptions at the station in the running of the car on the track cables d. The numeral 18 indicates guide sheaves for the haul rope 11 associated with Besides the four sheaves 13 shown,

i,eo2,271

the outgoing track rails D, said she'aves'lS not forming part of the present invention.

Reverting to the path of travel of the haul rope 11 corresponding with the path of movement of the haul link 15, said path of the haul rope is insured by forming a di or drop in the return track rails E at the station, said tracks, except at the ends thereof, being depressed.

I would state furthermore that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, 1 do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein.

illustrated, since, manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. ln a loop-line tramway in which a car travels in inverted position on the return run, a supporting structure constituting an intermediate station in the tramway. line, track rails on said structure in which the inverted car is adapted to travel, said track rails having a dip or depression between their ends, a haul rope, and means On the bottom of the car to which said haul rope is fastened.

2. 111 a loop-line tramway in which a car travels in inverted position on the return run, a supporting structure constituting an intermediate stationin the tramway line, track rails on said structure in which the inverted car is adapted to travel, said track rails having a dip or depression between their ends, a haul rope, and means on the bottom of the car to which said haul rope is fastened; together with a plurality of sheaves dispose'dabove the depressed portion of the track and adjacent thereto to constrain the haul rope to travel a path corresponding with the path of movement of the means fastening the haul rope to the bottom of the car.

3. In a loop-line tramway in which the car on the return run travels in inverted position, a supporting structure constituting a station intermediate in the tramway, tracks on said structure for the travel of the inverted car, a haul rope for the car, means on the bottom of the car by which said haul rope is fastened to the car, and sheaves above the track and disposed adjacent to the path of movement of the haul rope securing means on the car.

4. A structure for aerial tramways, said structure constitutingan intermediate station in the tramway, and tracks on said structure, said tracks turned through a horizontal angle, a car adapted to travel in inverted position through said structure on the return run of the car, a haul rope for the car, means for securing said haul rope to the bottom of the car, and sheaves above the track rails against which the haul rope cable, is adapted to exert upward pressure to constrain the car to travel in a path corresponding with the path of movement of the haul rope securing means on the car.

5. A structure for aerial tramways, said structure constituting an intermediate station in the tramway, and tracks on said structure, said tracks turned through a horizontal angle, a car adapted to travel in inverted position through said structure on the return run of the car, a haul rope for the car, means for securing said haul rope to the bottom of the car, and sheaves above the track rails against which the haul rope cable is adapted to exert upward pressure to constrain the car to travel in a path corresponding with the path of movement of the haul rope securing means on the car; to gether with sheaves at the ends of said structure over the tops of which said haul rope I runs in passing to and from the first-mentioned sheaves. Y V

'6. A structure for aerialtramways, said structure constituting an intermediate station in the tramway, track rails for the return run of a car, said track rails being depressed between the ends thereof, and sheaves above said depressed portionof the track rails in position to engage a haul rope of a tramway cars 7. In an aerial tramway, a car travelling inverted for a portion of the wayabout the tramway, a track-way for the travel of the car when inverted, a haul rope secured to the bottom of the car to be disposed above the car when travelling in inverted posi-- tion, and means to cause the haul rope in front and in therear of the car to travel in apath adjacent the ath of travel of the bottom ot the inverte car. v GILBERT M. KILCARR, 

